Embodiments described herein comprise a driver unit for driving a load including a plurality of load elements. In one example, the driver unit comprises a plurality of driver devices connected to the load elements for driving the load elements individually. The driver unit comprises a control interface for receiving a power control signal. Each driver device comprises a driver interface connected to the control interface for receiving the power control signal including single general power demand to be set by the driver unit, and each driver device is adapted to determine an individual power level on the basis of the single general power demand and to drive the load elements according to the individual power signal, so that at least one of the plurality of driver devices is configured to be switched off when the single general power demand is decreased.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A driver unit for driving a load where the load includes a plurality of load elements, the driver unit comprising: a plurality of driver devices connected to the plurality of load elements, respectively, for driving the plurality of load elements individually, a control interface for receiving a power control signal including a single general power demand to be set by the driver unit, wherein each driver device comprises a driver interface connected to the control interface for receiving the power control signal including the single general power demand, and wherein each driver device is adapted to determine an individual power level for a respective one of the load elements on the basis of the single general power demand and to drive said respective one of the load elements according to the individual power level, so that at least one of the plurality of driver devices, set for the individual power level, is configured to be switched off when the single general power demand is decreased to lesser than a minimum power level of said at least one of the plurality of the driver devices.
A driver unit controls a load comprised of multiple individual load elements. It uses multiple driver devices, each connected to a load element, to drive those elements independently. The unit has a control interface receiving a single, overall power demand signal. Each driver device receives this signal and determines its own power level for its connected load element based on this single general power demand. When the overall power demand decreases below a minimum threshold for any particular driver device, that device is switched off.
2. The driver unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the driver devices is connected to a respective one of the load elements, for driving the respective one of the load elements individually.
The driver unit described previously, where each driver device is directly connected to and drives its respective load element independently from the other load elements. This means each load element has a dedicated driver.
3. The driver unit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a control unit for providing the power control signal to the driver devices including the single general power demand.
The driver unit described previously includes a control unit that generates and provides the power control signal, including the single general power demand, to all the driver devices. This control unit acts as the central power management source for the driver unit.
4. The driver unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each driver device has the same driver address and is adapted to receive the identical power control signal including the single general power demand.
The driver unit described previously, where all driver devices share the same driver address and receive an identical power control signal carrying the single general power demand. Each device gets the same instruction but interprets it individually.
5. The driver unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the driver unit has one control address for receiving the power control signal.
The driver unit described previously has only one control address for receiving the power control signal. This simplifies communication, with all power demand information sent to a single point.
6. The driver unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the driver devices are adapted to determine the respective individual power level on the basis of the amount of driver devices incorporated in the driver unit.
The driver unit described previously, where each driver device determines its individual power level based on the total number of driver devices present in the unit. The power distribution accounts for the overall system size.
7. The driver unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the driver devices is adapted to determine the respective individual power level on the basis of an individual number of the respective driver device within the driver unit.
The driver unit described previously, where each driver device determines its individual power level based on its unique device number within the driver unit. The power level decision considers its position in the device array.
8. The driver unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the driver devices are adapted to determine the respective individual power level on the basis of a lowest power level that can be provided by each of the driver devices.
The driver unit described previously, where driver devices determine their individual power levels based on the minimum power level that each specific driver can deliver. This optimizes power distribution based on device limitations.
9. The driver unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the driver devices are adapted to determine the individual power level provided by a plurality of activated driver devices on the basis of a quantity of the activated driver devices.
The driver unit described previously, where the driver devices determine the individual power level provided by the currently active driver devices based on the total number of active devices. The power delivered is adjusted relative to the quantity of active drivers.
10. The driver unit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the driver devices are further adapted to determine a gain of the individual power level of the driver devices on the basis of the quantity of the driver devices incorporated in the driver unit.
The driver unit from the previous description determines a gain factor for each individual power level of the driver devices based on the total quantity of driver devices present in the unit. The gain is further used to adjust the individual power level of each driver device.
11. The driver unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the driver devices are adapted to set the individual power level of each of the driver devices to an identical value greater than a predefined power level when all of the driver devices are activated.
In the previously described driver unit, the driver devices set the individual power level of each driver device to an identical value that is greater than a predefined minimum power level whenever all driver devices are active. This ensures a uniform and adequate power distribution when all devices are running.
12. A method for driving a load including a plurality of load elements, comprising the steps of: providing a power control signal to a plurality of driver devices for driving the load elements, wherein the power control signal includes a single general power demand, determining, by each of the driver devices, an individual power level for a respective one of the load elements on the basis of the single general power demand and on the basis of a quantity of the driver devices, and driving the load elements individually according to the individual power level so that at least one of the plurality of driver devices, set for the individual power level, is configured to be switched off when the single general power demand is decreased to lesser than a minimum power level of said at least one of the plurality of the driver devices.
A method for driving a load consisting of multiple load elements involves providing a power control signal, which contains a single general power demand, to multiple driver devices. Each driver device then determines its individual power level for a specific load element based on both this general demand and the total number of driver devices. Finally, each load element is driven individually according to its driver's determined power level, such that one or more driver devices can switch off when the single general power demand falls below its minimum operating power level.
13. A lighting unit comprising a plurality of lighting elements including one or more LEDs and the driver unit as claimed in claim 1 for driving the plurality of lighting elements.
A lighting unit comprises multiple lighting elements, including one or more LEDs, and uses the driver unit described previously (multiple driver devices connected to load elements controlled by a single power demand signal, with the ability to switch off individual drivers when power demand is low). This driver unit is responsible for powering the lighting elements.
14. The lighting unit of claim 13 , wherein the load elements are the lighting elements.
The lighting unit from the previous description, where the "load elements" mentioned in the earlier driver unit description (multiple driver devices connected to load elements controlled by a single power demand signal, with the ability to switch off individual drivers when power demand is low) are specifically the lighting elements (LEDs). The lighting elements act as the load for the driver unit.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 30, 2014
June 6, 2017
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